A new release for Assassin’s Creed Mirage removes both Denuvo and VMProtect from the PC game. RUNE’s release is being presented as a proof of concept, while a benchmark by DSO Gaming found only a small frame-rate gap between the protected Ubisoft Connect build and the modified version. Both builds also produced traversal stutters.
RUNE’s release differs from recent voices38 work described as bypasses because Denuvo continued running in the background. The Mirage release specifically targets both protection systems, giving it a wider technical scope than a bypass that leaves the anti-tamper layer active.
Mirage’s protection gap stayed small in testing
Testing used an AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D, 32GB of DDR5-6000 memory, an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080, Windows 10 64-bit, and GeForce driver 616.92. Both versions ran at Ultra High settings, while Adaptive Quality was disabled because the default preset enables it at 60 FPS.
At 4K, the RTX 5080 limited the test and kept the two builds close. Ubisoft Connect recorded a 53 FPS minimum and a 109 FPS average, while the RUNE build reached 56 FPS minimum and 111 FPS average.
The 1080p results were similarly close. The protected build delivered 76 FPS minimum and 184 FPS average, compared with 78 FPS minimum and 188 FPS average for the RUNE build.
Lowering the resolution to 720p placed more of the workload on the CPU, creating a stronger opportunity for protection overhead to appear. Ubisoft Connect ran at 79 FPS minimum and 212 FPS average, while the RUNE build reached 82 FPS minimum and 218 FPS average. Both versions also produced traversal stutters.
Mirage’s traversal stutters remain an open question
Results from this hardware and configuration show no clear performance gain after Denuvo and VMProtect were removed. The 720p run was the strongest case for exposing additional CPU work, yet the protected build remained within a few frames of the RUNE build. Those numbers do not establish how every PC configuration will behave, but they also do not support blaming either protection system for Mirage’s traversal stutters. A side-by-side comparison only shows that both versions experienced the issue.
Whether the proof of concept leads to similar releases for other Assassin’s Creed games remains unconfirmed. The development follows the Denuvo bypass involving Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced, which was attributed to voices38 more than a month after the remake launched on July 9. That case concerned a bypass rather than confirmation that Denuvo had been removed.
No download or crack links are included here. The useful distinction is that Denuvo and VMProtect are described as removed from this Mirage release, rather than simply bypassed while continuing to operate in the background.
Would a larger performance gap change your view of Denuvo’s cost, or does Mirage’s small difference make removing the protection more relevant for reasons beyond frame rate? Share your view and follow us on X, Bluesky, YouTube, Instagram, Steam, and Telegram.
Assassin's Creed Mirage
Developed by Ubisoft Bordeaux
Assassin’s Creed Mirage is a stealth-focused action-adventure game set in ninth-century Baghdad. It emphasizes parkour, infiltration, and targeted assassinations. The game follows a more compact structure than recent entries in the series. Players control Basim, a young thief drawn into a secretive order. The title blends historical settings with narrative elements tied to the franchise’s established lore.
The story unfolds in a thriving Baghdad at the height of its cultural and scientific influence, where Basim, a young orphan shaped by loss, struggles to survive through street theft. Haunted by disturbing visions and driven by a need for answers, he lashes out violently, forcing him to flee the city. Taken in by the Hidden Ones, he undergoes rigorous training and adopts their code, developing his skills and sense of purpose. As he uncovers the truth about himself and the world he has joined, Basim is pushed toward a destiny that transforms both his identity and his allegiance to the emerging Creed.
- Genre Adventure
- Platforms Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PC (Microsoft Windows), iOS, PlayStation 5, Xbox One
- Perspective Third person
- Modes Single player
- Release October 5, 2023
- Publisher Ubisoft Entertainment
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Age Rating
-
Time to Beat
- Main
- 17h
- Main + Extras
- 24.3h
- Completionist
- 30.8h
